Coil opening and feeding apparatus



Sept. 4, 1962 c. E. ARTMAN con; OPENING AND FEEDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1959 INVENTOR. CLAYTON 6. ART/$14M Y B ,wa w

Irma/var Sept. 4, 1962 c. E. ARTMAN 3,052,423

COIL OPENING AND FEEDING APPARATUS Filed June 17. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Far 5'. 3 INVENTOR.

(ZAYfO/V E. JET/1M M%% ited rates atent 3,952,423 COIL OPENING AND FEEDING APPARATUS Clayton E. Artman, Homestead Park, Pm, assignor to United States Steel tlorporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 17, 195E, Ser. No. 820,890 9 (llaims. ((ll. 24278.8)

This invention relates to apparatus for unwinding coils of metal strip at the entry end of a processing line. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus which will open a coil of metal strip by peeling off its outer wrap as it is rotated by an uncoiler, and thereafter direct its leading end into the entry pass of the processing line.

When metal strip is coiled, it acquires a permanent set or curvature which resists peeling of its outer wrap or at least the leading end thereof for threading movement through the entry pass of a strip processing line. Accord ing to conventional practices a coil is opened and the free end of its outer wrap is flattened and straightened by reverse bending to facilitate its being threaded into a line entry pass. While various forms of apparatus have been proposed for this purpose, manual manipulation of the flattened or straightened end is usually required to thread it into the entry end of a processing line. In addition such forms of apparatus usually require special arrangements of coil handling devices and uncoilers at the line entry pass that are not adaptable to existing lines.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus for opening coils of metal strip and for threading the leading end of the opened coil into the entry pass of a processing line that is applicable to existing lines and uncoiler equipment. A further and related object is to provide an apparatus of this character which eliminates the reverse bending required by previous practices and the necessity of manually manipulating the strip to thread it through the line entry pass. According to these and related objects the apparatus of this invention is conveniently located under the forward end of the processing line and in the space between its entry pass and an uncoiler where it does not interfere with the delivery of strip from the uncoiler to the entry pass of the processing line. It comprises a pivotally supported peeler blade that wedges under the free end of the coil outer wrap upon rotation of the coil by the uncoiler and which is thereafter pivoted to direct the movement of the coil outer end into the line entry pass.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent from the following description.

In the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention in this showing:

FIGURE 1 shows the apparatus of this invention in side elevation and its relation with respect to an uncoiler and the entry end of a strip processing line that have a conventional arrangement relative to each other and are illustrated somewhat diagrammatically;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line IIII of FIGURE 1, but which omits the fluid pressure motor for operating the peeler blade that is shown in FIGURE 1 and shows the piston rod thereof in transverse section; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the peeler blade and operating mechanism therefor shown in FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 1 shows the forward end of a. strip processing line which includes a horizontal entry pass 1 for metal strip that is defined by guides 2, pinch rolls 3' for feeding the strip to leveller rolls 4, and an uncoiler 5 for delivering the strip to the entry pass 1. The uncoiler 5 includes an expandable and horizontal mandrel 6 in front of and below the pass 1 for supporting and rotating a coil of metal strip. The uncoiler further includes a pair of cradle'lift rolls 8 which receive the coils from a con- Patented Sept. 4, 1962 veyor (not shown) and elevate them to a position in which the mandrel 6 may be inserted by axial movement into supporting engagement therewith. In operation, the strip passes under a hold down roll a as it is uncoiled in response to rotation of the mandrel 6 and over a bending roll It} in moving to the pass 1, the hold down roll 9 having an elevating mechanism (not shown) by which it is lowered from the position shown in FIGURE 1 into holding engagement with the coil on the mandrel 6 after the leading end of the strip is threaded through the entry pass 1 and pinch rolls 3 in a. manner to be described. The uncoiler and strip processing apparatus thus far described are conventional.

The coil opening and feeding apparatus of this invention comprises a fan-shaped peeler blade 11 that has a wedge or knife edge 12 along its outer end and a tube 13 along its inner end by which it is journalled on a pivot pin 14 for pivotal movement from the wedging position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 to the position shown in full lines. In its wedging position, the blade 11 occupies a substantially horizontal position in which it extends tangentially relative to the coil C and its ltnife edge 12 extends axially along the peripheral surface of the coil for wedging engagement under the leading end 15 of its outer wrap upon rotation of the coil C by the mandrel 6 in a clock-wise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. After the knife edge 12' has wedged under the end 15, rotation of the coil C by the mandrel 6 is continued and the blade 11 is pivoted to the position shown in solid lines in FIG- URE 1 to force the coil leading end 15 outwardly relative to the coil C and direct its movement with a lifting action into the entry pass 1 in a manner to be described.

The blade 11 and its operating mechanism is mounted on a slide carriage 16 that comprises a horizontal base plate 17 and parallel vertical side plates 18%, which are secured along their lower edges to the base plate 17. The base plate 17 has a slide support on a guide plate 19 mounted on a supporting frame 20. The guide plate 19 is provided with parallel guides 21 which engage opposite edges of the base plate 17 and operate to guide it and the carriage 16 over a rectilinear path under the pinch rolls 3 and leveller rolls 4 which extends in a transverse direction relative to the axis of the mandrel 6. Movement of the carriage 16 over the guide plate 19 is effected by a fluid pressure motor which includes a hydraulic cylinder 22 that has a pivotal connection 23 at one end to a lug 24 projecting upwardly from the stationary guide plate 19 and a piston rod 25 projecting from its other end. The outer end of the piston rod 25 is connected by a pivot pin 26 to a pair of lugs 27 secured to the base plate 19. Opposite ends of the pivot pin 14 are supported in the carriage side plates 18 in such manner that it connects the peeler blade 11 to the carriage 16 for movement therewith. In this manner, the motor 22. operates to adjust position of the carriage 16 and thereby the position of the peeler blade 11 relative to the mandrel 6 according to the diameter of the coil C mounted thereon. This adjustment is made to provide for engagement of the knife edge 12' along a line extending axially of the peripheral surface of the coil C and with the peeler blade 11 in a substantially horizontal position in which it extends tangentially outwardly from such line of engagement, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

Pivotal movement of the peeler blade 11 about its pivot pin 14- is effected by a fluid pressure motor 28- which includes a hydraulic cylinder 29 that has a pivot connection 30 at one end thereof to a bracket 31 extending transversely between the carriage side plates 18. A piston rod 32 projecting from the other end of the cylinder 29 is connected by a pivot pin 33 between a pair of bracket plates 34- secured to the peeler blade 11. The motor 28 thus operates to pivot the blade 11 between the strip peeling 3; position shownin dotted lines in FIGURE 1 and the position shown in solid lines in which it operates to direct the movement of the strip leading end 15 into the entry pass 1.

The hydraulic motors 28 and 22 are provided with the usual valves and connections for controlling the admission and exhaust of fluid therefrom, which being conventional have not been shown in the drawings.

In operation, a coil C from which metal strip is to be fed to the entry pass 1 is received on the lift rollers 8 and elevated to a position in which the mandrel 6 can be moved into supporting engagement therewith. After insertion of the manrel 6, the hydraulic motor 28 is operated to lower the peeler blade 11 into an engagement with the peripheral surface of the coil C, and the slide carriage 16 is adjusted by operation of themotor 22 to a position in which the knife edge 12 on the peeler blade 11 has engagement along a line extending axially of the peripheral surface of the coil C and at the upper edge of the coil C as shown in FIGURE 1. The mandrel 6 is then operated to rotate the coil C so that the knife edge 12 moves under its leading end 15 with a wedging action. As rotation of the coil C is continued, the free end 15 of the coil C will move over the back surface 36 of the blade 11 to the position, for example, shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, and at this point, the hydraulic motor 28 is operated to pivot the blade 11 in a clock-Wise direction so that it operates to force the coil end 15 outwardly and lift it upwardly into the pass 1 as the strip is uncoiled from the coil C. Movement of the coil end 15 into the line entry pass 1 is thus effected by simultaneous rotation of the mandrel 6 and pivotal movement of the peeler blade 11. After the strip end 15 has been entered in the pass 1 and gripped by the pinch rolls 3, the motor 28 is operated to lower the blade 11 and the motor 22 is operated to retract the carriage 16 to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 1, to a position in which it will not interfere with the operation of the uncoiler or movement of the strip into the processing line.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that, by reason of the location of the axis of the pivot pin 14 under the entry pass 1 and its arrangement parallel to the axis of the mandrel 6 and coil C supported thereon, the pivotal movement of the peeler blade 11 between its horizontal and vertical operating positions takes place over an arcuate path in a space where it does not interfere with the movement of the strip from the coil C to the entry pass 1. In this respect it will also be noted that the strip moves to the entry pass 1 over a path extending tangentially and angularly upwardly from a point on the upper portion of the periphery of the coil C, and that the wedging edge 12 of the blade 11 lies along a line extending axially of the periphery of the coil C which is located between the coil end of the tangential path of strip movement to the entry pass 1 and the axis of the pivot 14. Due to this arrangement the wedging edge 12 moves over an arcuate path during pivotal movement of the blade 11 from its horizontal wedging position to its vertical position, and this arcuate path is arranged under and substantially parallel to the path of tangential strip movement to the entry pass 1. The wedging edge 12 thus operates to pull the leading end 15 of the coiled strip outwardly from the coil C, and to lift it upwardly into the pass 1 as continued rotation of the coil C continues to feed the leading end 15 of the strip away from the coil C. Attention is further directed to the fact that the specific arrangement of the carriage 16 and peeler blade 11 in the apparatus of this invention makes use of the space between an uncoiler and the forward end of a processing line which is normally vacant in existing lines and uncoiler equipment therefor, and that the apparatus of this invention is thus applicable to existing equipment.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim? 1. An apparatus for feeding the leading end of a coil of metal strip into a processing line comprising, in combination with an uncoiler for supporting and rotating said coil, a blade having an operative peeling position in which it is stationary and has sliding engagement with the periphery of said coil for wedging under said leading end during an initial rotation of said coil by said uncoiler, means mounting said blade for movement from said operative position in a direction radially outwardly and transversely relative to the axis of said coil, and means for moving said blade from its said stationary peeling position after it has wedged under said leading end to render it effective during continued rotation of said coil by said uncoiler to direct the movement of said leading end to said processing line.

2. An apparatus for feeding the leading end of a coil of strip into a processing line comprising, in combination, an uncoiler for supporting and rotating said coil, a peeler blade, a pivot mounting said blade for rotational move ment about an axis parallel to the axis of said coil to an operative position in which it extends tangentially relative thereto, said blade when in its said operative position having a wedging edge which extends axially along the peripheral surface of said coil for wedging engagement under said leading end during an initial rotation of said coil by said uncoiler, and means for pivoting said blade from said position during continued rotation of said coil by said uncoiler to render said wedging edge effective to move said coil leading end outwardly relative to said coil end and thereby direct its movement to said processing line.

3. A coil unwinding apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized by the provision of a carriage supporting said blade mounting pivot, and means mounting said carriage for rectilinear movement in a direction transversely of said pivot axis.

4. A coil unwinding apparatus as defined in claim 3 characterized by said mounting means including a fluid pressure expansible chamber motor for moving said carriage, and by said blade moving means comprising a fluid pressure expansible chamber motor having a pivot support on said carriage and a pivotal operating connection to said blade.

5. A coil handling apparatus comprising, the combination with the entry pass of a strip processing line and an uncoiler arranged outwardly from and below said entry pass for supporting and rotating a coil of metal strip, of a slide carriage mounted under said entry pass for rectilinear movement in a transverse direction relative to the axis of said coil, a peeler blade having a pivotal support on said carriage for movement about an axis parallel to the axis of said coil to an operative position in which it extends tangentially relative thereto, said blade when in its said operative position having a wedging edge which extends axially along the peripheral surface of said coil for wedging engagement under the leading end of said coil upon rotation thereof by said uncoiler, and means for pivoting said blade during continued rotation of said coil by said uncoiler to render said wedging edge effective to move said coil leading end outwardly relative to said coil and to thereby direct its movement into said entry pass.

6. In a strip processing line, the combination with an entry pass through which metal strip is fed to said line, of an uncoiler from which strip is unwound and delivered to said pass over a path extending tangentially and angularly upwardly from a point on the upper portion of a coil supported thereon, and an apparatus for directing the movement of the leading end of the strip in said coil to said entry pass comprising a peeler blade having a wedging edge at one end and a pivotal support at an opposite end for movement about a horizontal axis under said entry pass and parallel to the axis of said coil, said peeler blade being movable from a substantially horizontal position in which it extends tangentially relative to said coil and its said wedging edge is arranged along a line extending axially of the periphery of said coil and lying between said point and horizontal pivot axis for engagement under said strip leading end during an initial rotation of said coil by said uncoiler, to a substantially vertical position in which said wedging edge is positioned below said entry pass, and means for pivoting said peeler blade to said vertical position during a subsequent and continued rotation of said coil by said uncoiler to render said wedging edge effective to pull said strip leading end outwardly from said coil and to move it upwardly with a lifting action toward said entry pass, said wedging edge during pivotal movement of said blade from said horizontal position to said vertical position moving over an arcuate path lying underneath said path of strip delivery movement to said entry pass.

7. In a strip processing line, the combination with an entry pass through which metal strip is fed to said line, of an uncoiler from which strip is unwound and delivered to said pass over a path extending tangentially and angularly upwardly from a point on the upper portion of a coil supported thereon, and an apparatus for directing the movement of the leading end of the strip in said coil to said entry pass comprising a carriage mounted for rectilinear movement along a path under said processing line and extending in the direction of strip movement through said entry pass, a peeler blade pivoted to said carriage for movement from a substantially horizontal position in which it extends tangentially to the peripheral surface of said coil to a vertical position with its outer end positioned below the front of said entry pass, the said outer end of said blade having a wedging edge that engages with the periphery of said coil along a line extending axially thereof when said blade is in said horizontal position and is adapted to move under said strip leading end of said coil with a wedging action during an initial rotation of said coil by said uncoiler, and means for pivoting said blade to said vertical position during a subsequent and continued rotation of said coil by said uncoiler to render said wedging edge eflective to pull said strip leading end outwardly from said coil and to move it upwardly with a lifting action toward said entry pass, said wedging edge during pivotal movement of said blade from said horizontal position to said vertical position moving over an arcuate path lying underneath said path of strip delivery movement to said entry pass.

8. In a strip processing line, the combination with an entry pass through which metal strip is fed to said line, an uncoiler on which a coil of metal strip to be unwound is supported in front of and below said entry pass with its axis extending horizontally and transversely of the direction of strip movement through said entry pass, and means for rotating the coil supported on said uncoiler, of a peeler blade having a wedging edge at one end and a pivotal support at an opposite end thereof for movement about an axis lying under said entry pass and parallel to said coil axis, from a substantially horizontal position extending tangentially relative to said coil with said wedging edge engaged with said coil along a line extending axially of its periphery, to a substantially vertical position in which said wedging edge is positioned at the front of sad entry pass, and means for pivoting said blade to said vertical position during rotation of the coil on said uncoiler by said coil rotating means.

9. A coil handling apparatus for a strip processing line that includes an entry pass through which strip is fed thereto and an uncoiler arranged outwardly from and below said entry pass for supporting a coil of metal strip with its axis extending transversely of and at vertical level below said entry pass comprising, in combination, a slide carriage mounted under said entry pass for rectilinear movement in a transverse direction relative to said coil axis, a peeler blade having a wedging edge at one end and a pivotal connection at its other end with said carriage for movement about an axis: parallel to said coil axis, means for moving said carriage between an operating position adjacent said uncoiler and a retracted position spaced therefrom, said peeler blade when said carriage is in its said operating position initially occupying a substantially horizontal position in which it extends tangentially relative to said coil and its said wedging edge is arranged along a line extending axially of the periphery of said coil for wedging engagement under the leading end of said coil of strip during an initial rotation thereof by said uncoiler, said peeler blade being movable from said horizontal position to a substantially vertical position in which said wedging edge is positioned at said entry pass, and means for pivoting said peeler blade from said horizontal position to said vertical position during a subsequent and continued rotation of said coil by said uncoiler to render said wedging edge effective to pull said strip leading end outwardly from said coil and to move it upwardly with a lifting action toward said entry pass.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,444 Mikaelson et al Feb. 9, 1937 2,140,928 Talbot et al Dec. 20, 1938 2,273,884 Nyberg Feb. 24, 1942 2,762,418 Smith Sept. 11, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 659,080 Germany Apr. 25, 1938 

